California Dog Bite Attorney

It is often said that there is no such thing as a bad dog, only a bad dog owner. While that might very well be true, when a person is injured by a dog bite, someone must be held accountable for those injuries. Every year, millions of Americans are victims of a dog bite, and many of those injuries require medical care.

In California, a dog’s owner is liable for injuries sustained from a dog bite. It is their responsibility to compensate victims for their injuries, provided that the victim was not trespassing at the time of the attack. Dog bites occur more often than people realize. Let’s take a look at some of the numbers regarding dog bites.

Dog Bite Statistics

• Every year 4.5 million people in the U.S. are bitten by a dog.
• 20 percent of those victims require medical care.
• 27,000 people undergo reconstructive surgery from the injuries of a dog bite.
• Adults with more than two dogs in the household are 5 times more likely to be bitten.
• Between 2010 and 2012, 359,223 children were bitten by dogs.
• Dog bite claims made up 33 percent of all homeowner’s liability insurance claims in 2013.
• In that same year, the average payment by insurers for dog bite claims was $28,035.

Dog bites can often occur at the home of the owner, frequently to visitors. Owners should always take proper steps to ensure that their guests are safe, especially since they will be held legally responsible for any injuries that result from an attack by their dog. The CDC provides some good common sense tips to both owners and others in order to help reduce the number of dog bites. Here are a few that they list on their site.

Dog Bite Prevention Tips

• Remain motionless when approached by an unfamiliar dog.
• Don’t approach unfamiliar dogs.
• If a dog knocks you over, curl into a ball with your head tucked and your hands covering your ears and neck.
• Don’t let children play with a dog unsupervised.
• Don’t disturb a dog that is eating, sleeping or caring for puppies.
• Don’t encourage your dog to play aggressively.
• Don’t pet a dog without allowing it to see you and sniff you first.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of a dog attack, contact the dog bite attorneys at the Shamsi Law Firm. Our experienced team of attorneys can help you seek compensation for any injuries or damages that you might have suffered from a dog bite. Contact us today for a free consultation, 888-742-6745.